HOW KK KEPT UNEMPLOYMENT LOW AT ONLY 5.6%
One of Dr Kenneth Kaunda’s significant achievements was keeping Zambians employed in formal jobs.
Under Kaunda, the Zambian economy was almost 100% formal, almost everyone employed was on a regular pensionable income.
Dr Kaunda used Zambia’s mineral wealth to establish various manufacturing industries across the country.
He ensured that each district or area of the country had an industry established to provide employment to the population of that area.
For example he created Mwinilunga pineapple factory, Mununshi Banana Scheme, Mansa Batteries, Luangwa Bicycles, Mumbwa Cotton ginneries, Kapiri Glass, Nitrogen Chemicals, Mulungushi Textiles, Colgate Palmolive, Kalulushi Clay Bricks, Zamefa, Chloride, Monarch, Kawambwa Tea, Zambia Sugar etc.
In all he established over 300 state owned enterprises and he spread those throughout the country.
That way he was able to ;
1: Ensure equitable distribution of wealth to all parts of Zambia.
2: Provide employment to all regions of the country by creating economic activity everywhere.
3: He was able to stop mass immigration to Lusaka and Urban areas as Zambians coulf find employment locally in their area.
4: He kept unemployment low at only 5.6% when he left office.
Of course there were some flaws to the nationalized state owned enterprises system, over time some of them became unprofitable due to poor management and lack of competition and innovation.
But overall he left the country intact and these institutions he created should have been preserved and improved, but unfortunately the new MMD government closed down most of these industries, their shells can be seen today as you enter towns like Ndola.
There is alot to learn from how KK managed unemployment and guaranteed Zambians job security.